


You've Got A Lot to Answer For

by paperwar



Category: K-On!
Genre: Gen, Shopping, Sleepovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-26
Updated: 2011-12-26
Packaged: 2017-10-28 04:56:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/303966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperwar/pseuds/paperwar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mio doesn't really understand Mugi, but maybe she doesn't need to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You've Got A Lot to Answer For

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sweetvillain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetvillain/gifts).



> For sweetvillain as part of the help_japan auction. I am terribly sorry that this is so late; I hope you like it!
> 
> Huge thanks to laceblade for encouragement!

"But I don't know what to wear to college," Yui whined. "Why can't we wear uniforms?"

Mio both cringed and cheered as Ritsu yelled, "Because otherwise we wouldn't get a chance to express ourselves! Come on, Yui, are you a child?"

They were at the top of the main shopping road in town, with Mugi and also Azusa, who'd come along even though she didn't need clothes for college just yet.

Ritsu had proposed this expedition. "I need some awesome new clothes for college! And I'm not going to let you embarrass me in class!" she'd said, shaking a finger at them. Mio agreed to come along in hopes that being harassed into getting clothes Ritsu liked meant that Ritsu wouldn't tease her about them.

Yui let her head drop onto Ritsu's shoulder. "But I don't know what to wear! And I want ice cream. Can't we get ice cream instead?"

Mugi said, "We can get ice cream first and then go shopping!" Mio opened her mouth to protest -- surely Mugi could see that wouldn't work -- but gave up and closed it again. After all, Mio wasn't in a hurry to shop either.

An hour later, as they lingered over the very last molecules of ice cream in their dishes, Yui yawned, mouth snapping open like a crocodile. "Now I need a nap. Can we go home?"

Ritsu fumed but admitted defeat. Mio hid a smile of relief as they parted ways to walk home.

The next day, Mugi sent everyone a text inviting them to a sleepover that weekend. "I've got a surprise for you!" she said, appending an especially cutesy smiley to the sentence.

No one had been to Mugi's house before. "I bet it's huge!" Ritsu said. "I bet we each get our own bedroom to sleep in." Mio snapped at her for being obnoxious but wondered the same thing.

Saturday evening, a little before dinnertime, Mugi came to each of their houses to pick them up, springing out of the back of the sleek white limousine with a gracious smile at each stop. Mio knew she should be used to it, but she couldn't help but be amazed at how casual Mugi was about such things.

Mio, eyes wide, said, "This is so elegant!" She edged inside, thankful there were no underwear-related mishaps, and sat ramrod-straight, as if there were shelves of china close on either side.

Ritsu, pressing buttons, nearly jammed the privacy screen that loomed between them and the driver. She said, "It'd be better if this were a black limo. Then we'd look more like celebrities. Do you have a black one, Mugi?" Mio's arm whipped out to smack her, but Ritsu dodged. Mio yanked her hand back to her lap and resumed her stiff posture.

Mugi shook her head. "My parents think a black limousine is too common."

Her house was extravagant, just as expected. Not tacky, just grand. Ritsu expressed disappointment that they wouldn't actually each get their own bedroom to sleep in; this time Mio's fist didn't miss.

"Oh," Mugi said, crestfallen. "Did you really want that? I thought it would be more fun to sleep in the same room. I've never had a slumber party before!"

"Of course, Mugi," Azusa said in a rush, shooting Mio a glance of frustration. "This is perfect," she added, gesturing at Mugi's enormous bedroom: her huge canopy bed, plush carpet, and thick curtains. Everything was done in tasteful shades of green.

"Do you want to eat now, or should we have a late dinner?" Mugi's eyes were sparkling. "We could do my surprise first if you want. What do you think?"

Everyone else wanted the surprise right away. Mio thought she'd need some time to brace herself.

Luckily Mugi said they'd have to wait a little. "That's why I asked if we wanted to eat first. Although if we save dinner until later, it seems a little more grown-up, doesn't it? Like we're eating after coming back from a concert or something."

"Ooh, are we going out somewhere?" Ritsu asked. "Tell us, Mugi, tell us!"

Mugi shook her head and managed to keep her secret. They passed the next hour and a half watching makeover programs on TV. Ritsu was the most scathing of the contestants in their "before" phases, while Azusa often murmured faint disapproval of how they looked afterwards. Mio was just relieved that Ritsu had someone else to make fun of.

At eight o'clock, Mugi said it was time. "Oh, I'm so excited!" She clasped her hands together and beamed.

The limo came around to the front of the house and they were off.

The driver pulled up in front of the biggest, fanciest department store in town. It was mostly dark, having just closed for the evening. "Thank you!" Mugi said as they piled out onto the sidewalk.

"Mugi," Mio said, "I think they're cl -- "

A small door on the side opened, and a woman wearing the tidy uniform of the store emerged. "Ms. Kotobuki?" she said. "And these are your friends?" She smiled at them. "Welcome. Everything's ready," she added to Mugi. "Won't you come in?"

Yui, Ritsu, Mio and Azusa looked at each other in confusion. "Mugi -- " Ritsu began.

Mugi's face was the picture of serenity. "Thank you, Hayakawa-san," she told the woman. "Let's go!" she said to her friends.

"Mugi," Mio said in a hushed voice. "Is this... ?"

"Wow!" Ritsu shouted as they were escorted inside. "This is so cool! No one else is here but us!"

Mugi smiled again as Hayakawa-san led them past the shoe department and the purse department. There were a few employees straightening up displays and refolding shirts. They all bowed as Mugi and her friends went by.

"I've never been in here," Azusa whispered as they headed towards the elevator.

"Me neither," Mio whispered back, turning her head from side to side to take in the whole store, crammed with expensive items: classically understated, trendy, gaudy, and everything in between. Inside the elevator, Hayakawa-san pressed a button and they zoomed upwards, stopping a second later. The doors opened and they were in the young women's department.

"Oooh, look at this!" Yui said, rushing out to touch a sparkly pink shirt on the first rack in front of them.

"Come on, Yui," Mugi said, tapping her on the elbow as they all walked by. Pouting, fingers still reaching back for the shirt, Yui joined them as Hayakawa-san led them up to the service desk. Four women waiting there flowed around the desk, one standing next to each of the girls.

"Clothes for college, is that right?" Hayakawa-san, standing next to Mugi, asked. Mugi nodded.

Hayakawa-san nodded in return. "These are your personal shoppers," she said, making neat introductions. Mio instantly forgot the name of the young woman with sleek stylish hair that seemed to be assigned to her.

"They'll be helping you find a new wardrobe for college." Hayakawa-san smiled. "Shall we begin?"

Mio leaned forward and tugged urgently on Mugi's sleeve, hissing, "Mugi! Mugi! I can't afford to shop here!" She'd seen an elegant and modest blouse in a deep blue as they'd walked through the store, but had gasped when she checked the price.

Mugi giggled and put her hand over her mouth. "Oh, didn't I tell you? This is all my treat!" The girls gasped.

Ritsu whooped. "This is gonna be great!"

Azusa just stared. Yui said, "Wow! I've never had anyone to tell me what to wear before. Except Ui."

Mio frowned. "Are you sure, Mugi? It's a little..."

"Absolutely! This is my graduation present to you. Besides," she tittered, "I don't want any of us to look bad at college either."

In a panic, Mio dragged Azusa to one side and got her to agree that the two of them would progress through the store together. Mio was scared of being alone with her shopper, even though she seemed perfectly nice despite her glamorous hair.

The girls fanned out through the department, though of course everyone's paths crossed often; sometimes their tastes overlapped, and sometimes they were able to offer pithier advice than the store employees. "Mio would never wear that," Ritsu said, shaking her head. Mio, blushing as red as the shirt her shopper was holding out to her, shot her a grateful look. "It's because she's too scared to wear anything that bright," Ritsu added. Mio glared, but at least this meant she could put the shirt back on the rack without further comment.

"Whee, look at me!" Yui squealed, prancing out of the changing room and twirling around in a large, fluffy pink skirt.

"That's wonderful!" Mugi called from the next section.

"Yui, are you really going to wear that to class?" Mio drew her eyebrows together. She didn't even want to walk next to someone wearing anything like that. It looked like one of Sawako-sensei's monstrosities.

"Of course, Mio!" Yui said in delight, spinning around again. Mio suppressed a sigh and allowed herself to be steered towards yet another rack of expensive shirts.

A little while later, Mugi called them over and apologetically reported that they only had two hours to shop, half of which was now over. Mio gritted her teeth. Only Mugi would feel contrite at being able to offer two hours of personal shopper attention -- as well as paying the bill -- to her friends.

Mio and Azusa couldn't help but fret over the price of the increasing pile of clothes their shoppers had determined they should get, though Ritsu and Yui were predictably oblivious to cost. Mugi eyed the armload of clothes that Mio had expressed an interest in -- or at least, hadn't been able to vociferously object to -- and, with a decisive nod, told the personal shopper to take it up to the cash register. Mio fluttered her hands and made another token protest, but she knew it was pointless to try and dissuade her. And besides, Mio did need new clothes, and they were much nicer than anything she would've been able to find (and pay for) herself. Still, she trembled as the clothes had their security tags removed and their price tags scanned.

Afterwards, they were all weighed down with fancy shopping bags (featuring silver ribbons for handles; Mio wondered how long it would take before she broke one). Mugi smiled again -- Mio was starting to feel worried whenever Mugi smiled -- and took them to the department store's restaurant, saying, "I know I suggested we eat at home, but this will be much more fun, don't you think?"

"Did you make all the restaurant workers stay late too?" Mio asked, voice strained.

Mugi blinked and then that sweetly oblivious smile reappeared on her face. "Of course! They're all getting a bonus for doing this anyway, so I'm sure it's fine!"

"There's something wrong with that," Azusa muttered. She and Mio exchanged a relieved look of mutual understanding.

Mugi looked confused, then shrugged and said, "Let's go!" at the same time as Yui started muttering something repetitive with the word "cake" in it. It only took a second before Ritsu picked up the chant. Mio was on the verge of exploding when Mugi ushered them to the elevator, bidding Hayakawa-san goodbye. "We can find our way from here. Thank you very much!" Mugi told her.

They shuffled inside the elevator -- well, Yui bounced -- and Mugi pressed the top button. Off they went, again at a vaguely startling speed.

The restaurant had huge glass windows. Their town spread out around them, lights and lights and lights in the dark. Yui pressed her face against the glass to peer down. Mio pulled her away, pointing out the smear mark her nose left.

Ritsu laughed. "They'll just clean it off, Mio; it's fine."

Mio sighed. Patience was gushing out of her like air from a punctured balloon. When the obsequious waiter came over to guide them to a table, she barely had the energy to follow.

Mugi verbally annotated the menu for them; she'd eaten everything on it at one stage or another, including as a tester before some of the dishes became publicly available.

"We also have a special tonight, Kotobuki-san," the waiter said, dipping his head. He rattled off a long recipe name; everyone's eyes widened in lack of comprehension, except Mugi, who nodded once. "I'll have that."

The others ordered more mundane-sounding things, like spaghetti and curry rice. Yui ordered three desserts in lieu of dinner. Mugi giggled, Mio cast a reproachful look in Yui's direction, and Azusa looked concerned but slightly jealous.

"Oooh, maybe I'll do that too!" Ritsu said, flipping open the menu again. She scanned the pages briefly before shaking her head. "I'll just have three desserts after my food," she vowed.

The service was speedy and seamless. A different waiter even brought out some tiny savory cakes, just a mouthful each, and soaked in a slightly bitter sauce. "These are something the chef is trying out," the waiter said as she put one of the cakes, each in its own little pink ceramic dish, in front of each of them. "The sauce is supposed to taste like that," she added, just barely failing to hide a smile as Yui's lips twitched with the sharpness of the sauce.

"Thank you," Mugi said politely, and the waiter departed, while the rest of them tried to finish their cakes.

"It's not bad," Mio said, chewing thoughtfully. "You have to get used to it."

"Then eat mine," Ritsu said, shoving her dish over.

"Why should I eat your leftovers?" Mio snapped.

"I'll eat it," Azusa said from the other side of the table. She ended up eating Yui's as well.

When the same waiter came back to ask them what they thought of it, Yui was voluble in her condemnation. "It hurt! It was like... prickles in my mouth!" Mio gave her more reserved positive opinion, while Azusa was more enthusiastic. The waiter expressed regret that the item had been so badly prepared, bowed, and went to get the rest of their food.

Their entrees were delicious, of course. And Yui started in on her cakes with relish.

"I'm so full," Ritsu said a few minutes later, plate clean. She clutched her stomach in not-quite-mock pain. "But I have to have dessert!"

"You can do what Ui and I do," Yui said, straightening up. "If you do this, it makes the food squish down more in your stomach and you can fit more in!" She raised her hands, palms up, to shoulder level and tilted her torso slowly from side to side. "See? I can feel the food settling down! I can definitely fit in at least one more piece of cake!" Pleased, she continued rocking.

Mio and Azusa stared, while Ritsu began copying Yui's motions.

"Are... are you really sure that works?" Azusa asked. "Does Ui really do it too?"

"That looks like fun!" Mugi put up her hands and started the slow rocking motion.

Mio put her hand on her forehead. "Please stop," she said to the table, but nobody paid her any heed.

Their original waiter returned to the table to remove their plates. He dodged their tilting torsos with aplomb and returned to offer them dessert menus. Mio noted with gratitude that the appearance of the menus made Mugi, Yui and Ritsu stop moving, except to grab the menu.

"I definitely feel like there's more room in my stomach!" Ritsu said enthusiastically. She let out a small belch. "Even more now!"

"Ritsu!" Mio scolded her.

Yui patted her stomach. "Me too!" She burped just as the waiter came back to the table.

Mio cringed and put her head in her hands. The others ordered their desserts jubiliantly. Even Azusa seemed excited. "Maybe I should do that stomach thing too, so I'm sure I have room," she said. Mio shook her head frantically.

"Would you like any dessert, miss?" the waiter asked Mio.

"Oh, um." She hadn't even looked at the menu. She snatched it up and scanned the text. "Chocolate cake, please," she said. "Thank you."

The waiter swept away with a flourish. Everyone seemed to have forgotten Yui's belly-compressing technique, to Mio's relief. Instead they chattered about the clothes they'd just gotten.

"I already know what I'm going to wear on the first day," Ritsu said. She grabbed one of her bags and started rummaging around. "This!" She triumphantly raised a black shirt that seemed to be composed entirely of ruffles.

"Isn't that a little dressy for class?" Mio suggested.

"No way! I'm going to start off fancy!" Ritsu said.

"I'm going to wear that pink skirt," Yui said, with that vacant smile that irritated Mio so much.

"You should wear that black top you got with it," Mugi suggested. "Maybe we should all wear black and pink! We could match!"

"No, Mugi," Mio said frantically. "No way. It's not a gig! It's just class!" She wanted to kick Mugi; of course it was too late. Yui and Ritsu had already voiced enthusiastic support for this plan and were loudly revising what items they might wear.

"Mio," Mugi said, leaning over and putting a hand on her arm, "isn't this fun?" She beamed.

Mio flushed. "T-thank you for the clothes. And... this," she said, gesturing weakly to the restaurant, the plates, the whole thing. "Really. Thank you." After all, Mugi had just sorted out her entire wardrobe for school. Some of those clothes were amazing. The shopper, aside from the misplaced suggestion of a red shirt, seemed to have an eye for the sort of clothes that would suit Mio and not make her feel too exposed or uncomfortable. "I just don't think we should match, that's all," Mio shrugged. She looked away. "But, really, thank you, Mugi!"

Mugi sparkled. "Don't worry. We can just suggest something else and they'll get excited about that instead, won't they?" Her smile was serene.

Mio blinked. "Mugi -- "

The waiter came back then with their desserts. Conversation was dominated by oohs and ahhhs and Yui and Ritsu squabbling over whether each of them was taking too much of the other's dessert when offered a taste. The moment passed when Mio could've asked Mugi -- what? Asked her what? If she got as tired of Yui and Ritsu as Mio did sometimes?

They had tea after their cake, of course, and then it seemed their adventure was going to draw to a close. Mio covered a yawn; she was suddenly exhausted. Climbing under the blankets at Mugi's house seemed like the thing she wanted to do most in the world. She only hoped that the others wouldn't keep her awake all night.

All the sugar seemed to have set the others off, though; they were bouncing around the limo all the way back, while Mio slumped, head against the seat, eyes closed. They didn't even notice. Not that she should've been surprised.

Things progressed along the same lines once they returned. Mugi wanted to have the full slumber party experience at her house. Every silly event that Mio had always tried to avoid at sleepovers was something Mugi wanted to do: Ghost stories. Makeovers. Games where you were pressured into doing embarrassing or scary things. Every inane suggestion from Ritsu or Yui met with clasped hands and an exclamation of how fun it sounded from Mugi.

"Maybe we should all go to sleep," Mio blurted. "What if we disturb your parents?"

They all stared at her. "Mio," Ritsu said. "This house is huge. They probably won't be able to hear us at all!"

Mugi nodded. "It's fine, Mio."

There was no escaping it. The worst, without a doubt, was going to be the scary stories. "Please, can't we just skip those?" Mio was on the edge of tears.

Azusa loyally said she didn't want to hear them either. Of course that only egged Ritsu on.

"It sounds so fun!" Mugi said predictably.

"M-maybe I'll go sleep in another room, then," Mio said.

"You better watch out." Ritsu grinned. "Without us there to guard you, something might come get you!"

Mio gave a little shriek. She hadn't thought of that. She threw her pillow at Ritsu; the only reason she didn't punch her was that Ritsu was sitting too far away.

It turned out to be the best thing Mio could've done; Mugi, eyes shining, picked up the pillow and launched it at Yui. From there, a full-scale pillow fight was inevitable.

Mio wasn't really into pillow fights, but given the other possible activities, it was the best option, so she hurled herself into it with vigor.

Once the pillow fight petered out, they lay back on the floor catching their breath.

Yui yawned hugely. "I'm kind of sleepy now," she said, curling up and closing her eyes. Her breathing changed, slowing and deepening.

She wasn't faking it. Mio couldn't believe her luck. Maybe this would put an end to all the terrifying ideas the others had.

Mugi frowned for the first time that day. "I guess we can't wake up Yui," she whispered.

Ritsu said, not bothering to lower her voice, "We can just go into another room to tell scary stories!" She grinned at Mio like a shark. "Right, Mio?"

Mio was saved from replying by Mugi shaking her head and saying, "It won't be the same if it's not all of us!"

Mio held her breath. Azusa yawned, setting off a chain reaction: Mugi yawned, then, impossibly, Ritsu.

"I'm a little sleepy anyway," Mugi said. She caught Mio's eye and winked, startling her.

"I'm sleepy too," Azusa added, with another yawn.

"Oh, okay," Ritsu said. "I guess that's fine." She shot Mio another one of those predatory looks. "Maybe I'll just whisper some scary stories into Mio's ear as she sleeps!"

Don't react, don't react, Mio thought to herself. She couldn't help glaring at Ritsu, though.

"Let's go brush our teeth together!" Mugi said, breaking the tension with another one of those embarrassingly heartfelt looks.

"You have some strange ideas of fun," Azusa said, but they all trailed after her.

Under the covers later, Mio sighed with relief. Mugi had promised some fancy breakfast in the morning, pancakes with some ingredient Mio had never heard of. That sounded safe enough. And then Mio would go home, laden with bags of fancy clothes.

She didn't really understand Mugi. But Mio thought, as she considered her wardrobe, which had now doubled in size, Mugi had a good heart.


End file.
